<The discussion of screened bottoms & hive ventilation has put a "bee in
<my bonnet" especially regarding the orientation of the main hive opening.

When I was thinking about posting the question about screened bottom boards,
I can remember trying to anticipate some of the arguments against the bottom
screen on a pallet, and some of the similarities to conventional bottom
boards. On the similarities side of things, I guess my reasoning was the
direction of traffic, and the proximity of the colony to the ground would be
the same... (for incoming field force, loss of elevation; horizontal, then
vertical through the comb, but with the screened bottom board, they would
need to land and launch upside down.

I usually stagger the hive bodies after danger of chilling brood is past, so
some of the field force would use that entrance as usual.

Blaine brings up another interesting point:

<..it may work but bees can easily go through the .375 inch hardware cloth
and so the entire bottom must be defended from <robbing etc which may not
work out so well.  It will keep out the mice though.  Now if you think about
a colony in the <wild, they attach their combs from the top of the cavity
they nest in and the bottom of the combs is open.  If the nest <is under a
rock overhang like sometimes pictured in desert areas the entire nest is
just hanging out there in nature and <the bees defend it without a lot of
problems from all appearances so it may work fine...

How this would impact production, loss of pollen, mites, ventilation, dust
in the honey, blowing snow/moisture onto the cluster, etc. are some of the
reasons I have posted this, and I do appreciate all who have responded, both
on the list and directly to my address.

As a brief aside, my Grandpa kept bees in the 20's and 30's, but died when I
was 7. Therefore, the seed was planted, the soil was ample, but there was no
"fertilizer" for the tree.  I guess you might say Bee-L and sites like
Allen's provide the "manure."  Smile, guys.  :o)

Reading and theory can provide an abundance of substance, but there are some
practicalities for which I need the benefit of experience. Thank you all.

John Keim
Keim Apiaries
Fairview, Kansas